Continuous roll feed device



June 1957 A. J. BENNETT CQNTINUQUS ROLL FEED DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Oct. 5, 1954 I1. I BENNETT W 1 3m M W (I INVIE ATTORNEY June 1957A. J. BENNETT CONTINUGUS ROLL FEED DEVICE 2 Shee ts-Sheet 2 Filed Oct.5, 1954 H BEl/NETT UA 'TZ BY M M ATTORNEY United States PatentCONTINUOUS ROLL FEED DEVICE Arthur J. Bennett, North Bergen, N. J.,assignor to Thomas J. Lipton, Inc., Hoboken, N. J., a corporation ofDelaware Application October 5, 1954, Serial No. 460,346

7 Claims. (Cl. 164-68) This invention relates to web feeding systems,and more particularly to a system for continuously feeding, underrelatively light, uniform tension, a frangible web while maintaining apredetermined registration at all times between the web and the feedsystem.

The present invention is particularly applicable to,although not limitedto, a system for feeding a chain of connected envelopes to a cuttingmechanism which severs the chain at predetermined locations to formindividual envelopes of the kind used for making tea bags. In order toinsure that the cutting mechanism will come into cutting contact withthe envelope chain at the desired location, the envelope chain isdelivered thereto by feed means properly synchronized with the cuttingmechanism.

Toward this end the feed mechanism is provided with a rotatable indexwheel which travels at a predetermined speed ratio with respect to theoperation of the cutting mechanism, and the envelope chain is accuratelyregistered with respect to the periphery of the rotatable index wheel.The distance of the path of travel of the envelope chain between theindex wheel and the cutting mechanism is such that when the envelopechain is in proper registration with the index wheel, the envelope chainwill be properly presented to the cutting mechanism to insure that theenvelopes will be severed at the desired locations.

Registration between the rotatable index wheel and the envelope chain ismaintained by forming notches along both edges of the envelope chain andby equipping the periphery of the index wheel with notch-engaging lugswhich are adapted to enter the notches when properly registeredtherewith. The periphery of the wheel contains a number of such lugsspaced apart at distances equal to the lengths between the notches onthe envelope chain, and the envelope chain is guided into operativecontact with the periphery of the wheel and with the notch-engaging lugsfor at least a portion of its circumference.

A special feature of the feed system of the present invention is themeans for actually maintaining the continuous travel of the envelopechain without mutilation by the notch-engaging lugs and without fracturedue to excessive stresses. The envelope chain is delivered from a rollto the driven index wheel by a set of feedrolls and from the index wheelto the cutting mechanism by another set of feed rolls. Thus, positivefeed means are provided for the envelope chain both before and after itscontact with the index wheel, the two sets of feed means preventingexcessive pressure between the lugs carried by the index wheel and thenotches formed along the edges of the envelope chain. In addition, meansare provided to maintain a uniform, light tension on the envelope chainto prevent fracture and the formation of slack;

These and other features of the present invention will be apparent fromthe detailed description which follows and by reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is an illustrative view of the feeding apparatus of the presentinvention;

2,796,939 Patented June 25, 1957 Fig. 2 is an enlarged representation ofa portion of the system illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2, looking from theright hand side, with the envelope chain removed; and

Fig. 4 is a view illustrating a portion of the envelope chain inregistered relationship with the lugs carried by the index wheel.

The present invention is shown and described herein as applicable to amachine for producing individual envelopes adapted for use in making teabags. The envelope chain is supplied from a roll 10 to a cuttingmechanism, generally designated 11, following a path indicated by thebroken lines a of Figs. 1 and 2, and the cutting mechanism severs theenvelope chain into individual envelopes.

The apparatus of the present invention is supported by one or moreframes F, and the operating parts are driven by a suitable geartransmission not shown.

The roll 10 of the envelope chain is supported upon a shaft 12, and theroll is free to rotate in the direction of the arrows as the envelopechain is fed therefrom by a pair of feed rolls 13, 14. To prevent theenvelope chain from being unwound too rapidly, a drag member 15 ismaintained in frictional contact with the periphery of the roll 10 by aweight 16.

The lower feed roll 14 is a driven roll having a circumference equal tothe envelope length, and the upper roll 13 is a rubber pressure rollsuspended from a flexible spring member 17 which tends to urge the roll13 toward a raised position. The pressure roll 13 is maintained inoperative pressure relationship with respect to the lower drive roll 14by the engagement of a quick acting cam 18 with the spring member 17.When the machine is not in operation, the cam will be shifted to theinoperative position, thereby permitting the spring mounting 17 tomaintain the roller 13 in raised position to facilitate the insertion ofa new envelope chain there between.

After passing between the feed rolls 13, 14, the envelope chain is thenguided downwardly around a roll 20 mounted for vertical movement betweena pair of vertically disposed supporting brackets 23 (only one of whichis shown in the drawings). The extreme ends of the shaft 24 supportingthe roll 20 engage vertically disposed slots 25 formed in the brackets23, and the axis of the roll 20 is, therefore, free to be raised orlowered. During the feeding operation, the envelope chain in passingaround the lower periphery of the roll 20 supports the weight of theroll above its lowermost position, and the roll 20 thereby serves as agravity take-up to prevent the formation of slack and to maintain thechain in contact with an idler roll 21. The idler roll 21 is spacedapart from, but substantially on the same level as the feed roll 14.

After passing around the roll 20 and in contact with the idler roll 21,the envelope chain is guided around a portion of a circumference of adriven index wheel 28 which is rotatably supported upon a shaft. As mentioned above, the index wheel serves to advance the en velope chain inpredetermined registration therewith to insure that it is properlypresented to the cutting mechanism 11 so that the latter will sever thechain at the desired locations. v

To insure proper registration, the envelope chain, as best shown in Fig.4, is provided with notches b formed along both edges of the chain, andthe periphery of the registration wheel 28 is provided with a pluralityof oppositely disposed pairs of lugs 30 which mesh with the notches. Therotation of the index wheel 28 is so synchronized with the operation ofthe cutting mechanism that proper presentation of the envelope chain totl e 3 cutting mechanism is insured when the lugs are in the desiredengagement with the notches b.

The envelope chain forms substantially a semi-circle around theperiphery of the index wheel 28, and upon leaving engagement therewith,the envelope chain travels downwardly around a fixed idler roll 32,whereupon it travels upwardly to the lower driven feed roll 34 of a pairof feed rolls 33, 34. The circumference of the feed roll 34 isprefenably slightly greater than the length of a single envelope, andtherefore slightly greater than the circumference of the feed roll 14,although it is driven at substantially the same angular speed. The upperroll 33 is a pressure roll suspended from the resilient rnember 35 whichnormally urges the roll 33 toward a raised position out of pressurecontact with the lower roll 34 to facilitate the initial insertion ofthe envelope chain therebetween. The roll 33 is maintained during theoperation of the machine inpressure contact with the .roll 34 by anadjustable set screw 36 which resists the action of the resilient member35. The set screw .36, of course, makes it possible to vary the pressureexerted by the-upper roll 33 against the envelope chain. The feed rolls33, 34 maintain the forward advance of the envelope chain toward thecutting mechanism, insuring la uniform tension in the envelope chainbetween the index wheel '28 and the feed rolls 33, 34 at all times.

The cutting mechanism 1 1 comprises upper and lower rotary members 11aand 11b, respectively, one or both carrying knife blades for-severingthe envelope chain into individual envelopes. The envelope chain isguided between the feedrolls 33, 34 and the cutting mechanism 11 by ahorizontally disposed platform 38 supported by brackets 39 which aremounted to the frame F. After the envelopes are severed, they are thenguided across the platform 38 toward the feed rolls 40, 41, which feedrolls resemble the feed rolls 33, 34, except that the circumference ofthe lower driven roll 41, like the roll 14, is equal to the envelopelength, whereas the circumference of the roll 34 is slightly-greater.

The upper feed roll 4-0 is a pressure roll normally suspended from aresilient member 42 which is normally urged upwardly to an inoperativeposition, but the roll '40 is maintained in the desired pressurerelationship with the lower roll 41 by the adjustable set screw 43. Thefeed rolls 40, 41 engage the leading edge of the envelope before it issevered by the cutting mechanism and feed the individual envelopes intothe receiving end of a tea bag machine (not shown) at the proper rate,the tea bag machine forming no part of the present invention.

An important feature of the machine is the relationship between the feedrolls 13, 14 and the feed rolls 33, 34, the former feeding the envelopechain from the roll to the index wheel 28 and the latter feeding theenvelope chain from the index Wheel 28 to the cutting mechanism 11. Thefeeding effect of both sets of feed rolls is intended to insure that thelugs 39 on the index wheel 28 do not excessively pull on the frailenvelope edges during the rotation of the driven index wheel. Thus, theonly force that the lugs 30 exert on the envelope is due to the weightof the roll 29 less the frictional force between the envelope chain andthe periphery of the index roll.

' It may also be noted that the circumferences of the driven feed rolls14 and 41 are substantially equal, and about the envelope length,whereas the circumference of the driven feed roll 34 is slightly greaterthan the envelope length. All, however, are driven at the same angularspeed of rotation, with the result that the linear speed of theperiphery of the roll 34 is slightly greater than that of theperipheries of the rolls 14 and 41. This arrangement makes it possiblefor the feed rolls 33, 34 V g 34 and the index wheel 28, thereby keepingto a minimum the pulling effect of the lugs 30 upon the frangibleenvelope chain. Since some slippage of the feed rolls 33, 34 on the webmay be desirable, the pressure of the upper roll 33 may be adjusted toprovide the desired slippage by the setting of the screw 36. Inaddition, the tension on the envelope chain between the feed rolls 40,41 and 33, 34 is reduced in preparation for the cutting action of-thecutting mechanism 11.

As mentioned above, in order to insure that the cutting mechanism seversthe envelope chain at the desired locations, it is, of course, essentialthat proper registration be established between the notches b of theenvelope chain and the registering lugs 30 on the index wheel. Thedesired relative positions between the index wheel and the cuttingmechanism may be roughly insured by virtue of the positive gear drivetransmission (not shown) between the rotary cutter mechanism 11 and theindex wheel, however, the relative positions may be established withgreater precision by adjusting the position of the index wheel withrespect to its shaft 29. For this purpose, as best shown in Fig. 2, theshaft 29 carries a disc 50 fixedly mounted thereto, and the disc 50 .isprovided with curved slots 51 which accommodate bolts 52 for mountingthe index wheel 28 thereto. Thus,.the .posi tion of the index wheel maybe accurately adjusted by loosening the bolts 52 and rotating the indexwheel 28 to the desired position of registration with respeetto the cut-.ter mechanism before again tightening the bolts 52.

The invention has been shown in a single preferred form and by way ofexample only, and obviously many variations and modifications may bemade therein within the spirit of the invention. The invention,therefore, is not to be limited to any specified form or embodiment,except insofar as such limitations are set forth in the .appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. Ina system for feeding a registered web formed with registering meansthereon, a driven carrier, registering means carried thereby andengageable with the registering means of the web, driven feed means forfeeding the web to the carrier, slack eliminating means between saidfeed means and the carrier to supply the web to the car- .rier in tautcondition, and driven feed means for advancing the web from thecarrierunder light tension, thereby advancing the registering means of the webrelative to the registering means of the carrier to prevent excessivepressure of the registering means of the driven carrier upon the web.

2. A feed system as set forth in claim 1 including means for adjustingthe pressure exerted by the secondmentioned feed means on the web.

3. A feed system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the linear velocity ofthe second-mentioned feed means is slightly greater than the linearvelocity of the first-mentioned feed means.

4. In a system for feeding a web having registering 'means along itslength, a driven indexing carrier, registering means carried thereby andengageable with the registering means of the web, drivenfeed means forfeeding the web to the indexing carrier, and driven feed means.foradvancing the web from the indexing carrier under .light tension,the relationship between the feed means for feeding the web to theindexing carrier and the feed means for advancing the web from theindexing carrier being such that the latter feed means urges the web ina forward direction to advance the registering means of the web relativeto the registering means of the indexing carrier, thereby preventing theregistering means of the indexing carrier from exerting excessivepressure against the registering means'of the web.

5. A system as set forth inclaim 4 including means interposed betweenthe feed means for feeding the web to the indexing carrier and theindexing carrier, said means applying light tension to that portion ofthe web, rendering that portion of the web taut.

6. In a system for feeding a web having registering means along itslength, a driven indexing carrier, registering means carried by saidindexing carrier and engageable with the registering means of the web,driven feed rolls for feeding the web to the indexing carrier, an idlerroll interposed to engage that portion of the web between the feed rollsand the indexing carrier, a support for the idler roll permittingvertical displacement of the axis of the idler roll, the portion of theweb between the feed rolls and the indexing carrier extending beneaththe idler roll for the support of the idler roll, the weight of theidler roll imposing a predetermined light tension on the web to renderthat portion of the web taut, and driven feed rolls for advancing theweb from the indexing carrier under light tension, the linear velocityof the feed rolls advancing the web from the carrier being greater thanthe linear velocity of the feed rolls feeding the web to the indexingcarrier, thereby applying a tension to the web on the discharge side ofthe indexing carrier which tends to relieve the pressure exerted by theregistering means of the indexing carrier against the registering meansof the web.

7. A system as set forth in claim 6 including web cutting means, thedriven feed rolls which advance the web from the indexing carrierserving also to feed the web toward the web cutting means, and drivenfeed rolls on the opposite side of the Web cutting means engaging theleading edge of the web before it is severed, said feed rolls advancingthe web at a slower speed than the feed rolls which advance the webtoward the cutting means, thereby reducing the tension in the length ofthe web about to be severed, said feed rolls on the opposite side of theweb cutting means discharging the severed length of the web after thecutting operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS490,054 Wheeler Ian. 17, 1893 855,753 Brewer June 4, 1 907 1,699,507Spiess Jan. 15, 1929 2,275,262 Malhiot Mar. 3, 1942

